Ancient Lungfish Possibly Tried Walking on Land 400 Million Years Ago!
Ancient Lungfish Tracks Discovered in Poland Suggest Possible Left-Handed Swimmers
In an exciting discovery, a team of researchers has unearthed fossilised tracks in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains of Poland, providing the earliest known evidence of fish experimenting with life on land. The findings, published in the "Scientific Reports" journal, date back approximately 400 million years.
The team, including Grzegorz Niedźwiedzki and his colleagues, used a 3D scanner to analyse the fish tracks. They compared these scans with those left by the modern West African lungfish, Protopterus annectens, finding many similarities.
Out of the 240 tracks examined, 36 were made by lungfish with asymmetrical fins. Of these, 35 were left-handed, suggesting that some ancient lungfish might have been "left-handed."
The 3D scans revealed previously unseen details, including tracks from the tail, snout, pectoral fins, and body. These traces resemble those left by modern lungfish, which use their open mouths to push themselves forward and upward on land, using their fins for steering.
However, not everyone is convinced that the tracks were made by lungfish. Some experts believe that these ancient fish were different from their modern counterparts, making comparisons challenging.
To confirm the identity of the creature that made the tracks, further exploration and study are necessary. Brownstein suggests that advanced techniques should be used to study similar track fossils in China and Australia to gain more insights into their origins.
Experts believe these mountains were a coastal or shoreline area around 410 to 393 million years ago. The region has yet to be explored for fossilized plants and other remains, which could help identify the creature that made the tracks and determine if it was a true terrestrial fish.
In future studies, Szrek plans to examine the surrounding area of the tracks in more detail to better understand the environment in which they were made. This could provide further insights into the behaviour of these ancient fish and their adaptation to life on land.
Lungfish are close relatives of the earliest four-limbed terrestrial vertebrates, or tetrapods, and possess both lungs and fins that would later evolve into limbs. The new study uncovers additional traces that provide further insights into the behaviour of these ancient fish and their potential role in the evolution of terrestrial life.
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